The Clarée valley : on the road to ‘Grand Site de France’ status

The Claree Valley

A protected area since the 1970s and thanks to its outstanding landscapes and state of preservation of its heritage, the valley began the process of obtaining a ‘Grand Site de France’ label on 16 March 2006. The valley has managed to preserve the cultural integrity of its ancient villages.

Lake Béraudes

‘Grand Site de France’ label

“The Grand Site de France label was created by the French state in recognition of the quality of the conservation and management of a site known for its outstanding reputation and high visitor numbers. It was set out in the law of 12 July 2010 regarding France’s national commitment to the environment, known as ‘Grenelle 2’, and forms part of France’s Environmental Code. The awarding of the label is conditional on the implementation of a strategy for the conservation, management and development of the site that adheres to the principles of sustainable development.”

The Claree Valley : on the road to ‘Grand Site de France’ status

The Clarée Valley and Etroite Valley (26 000 ha) together form a remarkable heritage site as much for the quality of the landscape as for the rich cultural and military heritage. At the heart of the renowned tourist routes (GR 57 Tour du Mont TABOR , The Grande Traversée des Alpes...), the valleys are exceptional in several ways :

BEAUTIFUL AND PICTURESQUE

The valleys have been rewarded by being classed as “sites of outstanding natural beauty.”

CULTURAL

The buildings and landscape have all been influenced and shaped by agricultural, forestry and grazing land use and are all elements in the balance of traditional land use.

SCIENTIFIC

There is a great ecological diversity of flora and fauna, and there are some very interesting botanical area such as wetlands and bogs .... 39% of the known species in the Hautes-Alpes and 61 % of that of Briançon are found here.